segunda-feira, 29 de outubro de 2012

I like Muffins.
In Portugal we call them Queques and they look like this:

I always eat the top first, and lately I found out that most people leave it for last, because it's the best part and they like to leave the best to the end.

Well, I found that to be weird. Why should you leave the best for last?

What if someone comes and eat your muffin top while you're busy eating the bottom?
What if there's a fire and you can save only 3 things, and none of them can't be the muffin top?
What if you choke to death eating the bottom and have no chance to taste the crispy warm top?

Why would you risk that?

Can't figure this one out. I think you muffin bottom first eaters are crazy.

segunda-feira, 22 de outubro de 2012

Happy Autumn for all of you that like this kind of weather. I kind of like Autumn, but the days keep getting smaller and smaller, and that always makes me sad.

I have some good news and bad news!

At the beggining of the month I got to have a week vacations (yay!) and I went to the beach! It was so nice! The beach all for ourselves and the weather... yummy.

We slept at a place with a natural pool, it was weird at the beggining to go into the water, but it was so nice and beautiful!

But now it's rainy and kind of cold, so... bubye Summer I guess!

No, no bubye Summer at all! Because in a couple of weeks I get to go to the South Hemisphere again!!! I'm so excited to go back :) And after I come back I have some more traveling to do, but I'll tell you about that later...

(and that's the good news)

The bad news are that because of the incredible amount of work I have now (and for the last year I guess) I don't have a lot of new stuff to show you! I have this idea for a Winter collection but I need some new beads and I haven't got the time to go look for them....

I even have some items I haven't got time to photograph yet!! Can you believe it?

segunda-feira, 20 de agosto de 2012

Hello!
Is there anyone still here?
I have been silent for so long, I know... I have been with so much work this last few months you can't imagine. Even now, I should be finishing a report, but I just came back from a 2 week vacation, and I though a few minutes to say hello to you won't make much of a difference.

So... I have been traveling this past few months! I went to Athens for a meeting in June, and last month to Chipindo in Angola (Africa) for geologist field work.

I loved both experiences. The greek are super nice and I loved Athens! It wasn't what I was expecting... but I loved it!

Then, a month later, I got to go to Chipindo (Huila Province in Angola) for geological field work.

I have to say it was the best experience ever. Everyone was so nice, friendly and always laughing. I was so lucky to have a very professional team from Angola, and when the work is going well and nobody gets hurt, and in top of that you get to work with amazing people that make you laugh until there's tears in your eyes.... What more can you ask?

There's some photos for you! Didn't see any wild animals, but there were aligators, snakes and deers there.

Selling bread in Huambo

These children were a little bit afraid of me

Making the corn flower (Fuba de Milho)

At the Primary School of Chipindo

At the Primary School of Chipindo (My favorite photo)

And this is me! Happy fluffy geologist :)

Now I just want to have a little time to get nanouke back on track for the holidays!

quarta-feira, 16 de maio de 2012

This is a continuation for the last post I wrote on this subject.
I found some new inspiring photos I want to show you! This time, rings only.
Rings are not that hard to model, if you have pretty hands! I find these beautiful!

quarta-feira, 9 de maio de 2012

One of the things I have to do, is taking better pictures with a live model. One the feels I want to achieve is the urban coolness, something casual and fun.

Went trough some of the best selling jewelry artists on etsy for inspiration. If they're top sellers on this category I'm in, they must be doing something right, right? Well, funny thing. A lot of them don't use a live model! Makes me wonder if I'm going on the right direction... I still think so.

These photos, from shlomitofirlook so professional! I think this is the closest with what I'm looking for. Amazing!
On another note, I found that most of the top sellers of jewelry on etsy have customized jewelry, that engraved stuff. And... all of them have more than 100 items listed! WOW! How can they do it? Selling that much and still be able to have a shop full? Amazing...

terça-feira, 8 de maio de 2012

Today, in a discussion between members of the Etsy PTteam, someone pointed out this useful idea, a reflective card, and showed me this tutorial.

I couldn't wait to come home and try it out! I just didn't use the trace paper, because I don't have any.

So, here's the reflective card I made, like the instructions:

Took a picture to this brooch using only natural light, for comparison:

Using the reflective card, in the angle that showed more light:

Using the card closer to the piece:

And finally, no card, changing the exposure in my camera:

None of these photos were edited!
I don't think the reflective card made any difference... At least with this monitor (I'm using a Eee PC, has a very tiny screen) I don't think the changes that the card made are that good.
I was a little disappointed, to tell you the truth. Maybe I should try with a different background (white) and maybe in days with less natural light (today is sunny) the card is more helpful. The trace paper should also make some difference, to diffuse the light.
The best photo for me, is the one I took adjusting the exposure of my camera.

quinta-feira, 29 de março de 2012

I'm a sob. I love romantic stories. I specially like love stories that don't end like "and they lived happily ever after" like we're expecting to.
Sometimes people live happily ever after without being together. (but maybe I'm spoiling the movie to you)

I really liked this movie, it was one of the best movies I've seen in years.

And I too love the Smiths, to die by your side it's such an heavenly way to die....

Go see it!

On another note, I'm listing new earrings on my shop, since I bough a batch of amazing new handmade ear wires. I love them, it was the best purchase ever.

Music for the week

Hello | Olá !

My name is Ana Carina, I'm a wire knitter. This is my blog. Most of the time I write about craft related stuff, but sometimes I don't . I may even get silence for a while, but that's because I have a full time job besides knitting.If you wish to say hello, please do: nanoukedesigns@yahoo.com